"Stakeholder Involvement and Coordination in the Management of Mangroves in Madagascar"

Madagascar's mangroves cover approximately 236,400 hectares, representing 20% of Africa's mangroves and 2% of the global total. 98% of these mangroves are located along the island's west coast. The governance of this ecosystem involves a variety of stakeholders, including (i) state actors such as ministries with their deconcentrated services and decentralized territorial authorities at the regional and municipal levels; (ii) traditional authorities like the Sojabe; (iii) civil society; (iv) NGOs; (v) private sector, including companies involved in the collection and export of fishery products, as well as vendors of mangrove wood and charcoal; and (vi) local community organizations. While this diversity enhances ecosystem management, it also complicates efforts to ensure the mangroves' sustainability. This situation raises the question : is there coordination and collaboration among these stakeholders in mangrove management ? To answer this, data were collected through socio-economic methods, including informal and formal interviews and surveys, with analysis performed using Excel and SocNetV software. The Boeny Region, in the northwest part of Madagascar, was chosen to conduct the study. Key institutions in mangrove governance include the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, responsible for conserving natural resources and forests, and the Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy, which oversees the sustainable management of fishery resources and their habitats. The Regional authorities, as decentralized territorial entities, coordinates and harmonizes economic and social development within its jurisdiction, including those related to natural resource management. Communication between stakeholders about the mangroves occurs on an ad hoc basis in 68% of cases, depending on the context and availability of financial, human, and material resources. Reports on activities and violations are exchanged monthly or quarterly among state actors. NGOs, however, provide reports on an ad hoc basis and upon request from deconcentrated services or local authorities, though they regularly submit reports to donors and superiors according to required frequencies. Regarding collaboration, 75% of interactions occur without formal agreements, based on immediate needs. In conclusion, while coordination and collaboration in mangrove management exist, they remain unclear and lack a structured framework to optimize the involvement of all stakeholders. Thus, sharing this study at the One Ocean Science Congress is important as it aligns with Theme 10: "Vibrant Science to Inform and Support Ocean Action," specifically the open session T10-13, which focuses on coastal resilience. Indeed, the study presents a concrete case related to the theme: "From Science to Shoreline: Bridging Knowledge, Policy, and Action for Coastal Resilience."